


The Girlfriends

by summers-maclay-lehane (ofstormsandwolves)



Series: Sunnydale 2019 [6]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexuality, Coming Out, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:08:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22974532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofstormsandwolves/pseuds/summers-maclay-lehane
Summary: Buffy and Faith are now an item. But how exactly do they go about telling everybody else about this development?
Relationships: Faith Lehane/Buffy Summers, Rupert Giles/Joyce Summers
Series: Sunnydale 2019 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1377481
Comments: 2
Kudos: 59





	The Girlfriends

When Buffy and Faith had returned to Buffy’s birthday party hand in hand, nobody had said anything. Buffy was fairly certain she’d seen Giles suppressing a smirk, and she was quietly confident that her mom had caught a glance at their clasped hands, but then the movie had started and everyone had been distracted.

Now tucked away in her bed, her friends sent home, Buffy was grateful for that. The thing with Faith was new- as in, _oh-my-god-this-just-happened_ new- and the last thing she had wanted was to be asked a lot of questions she wasn’t sure she knew the answer to.

She wished she’d had more time to actually talk about it with Faith, though. Not that Faith was really one for serious discussions. But it occurred to Buffy, lying awake in the dark of her room, that even though she and Faith had agreed to be girlfriends, they hadn’t agreed on who they would tell or when. Maybe she was over-thinking it; maybe there was no need for some grand announcement or awkward conversations. 

With a sigh, Buffy leaned over and grabbed her phone from her nightstand. Maybe she should just text Faith...

Except Faith was probably asleep. It was nearly two in the morning. Faith probably wasn’t lying awake worrying about how they would tell Xander and Willow they were dating, Faith probably wasn’t worried about coming out to Gwen in the way Buffy was worried about coming out to her mom.

Because she had to do that, right? She had to tell her mom that she was dating Faith. She’d already spilled her feelings about Faith to Giles, and he’d seemed cool with it. But it was one thing to think you had a crush on someone, and an entirely different thing to date someone. How was she supposed to go about it? What was she supposed to do? Was there, like, a manual or something?

Now wide awake, Buffy sat up in bed and started tapping away at her phone. Just a quick text to Faith, and if she answered then that was great. If not, it wasn’t a big deal, right?

_Hey, you awake? B xx_

Message sent, Buffy swallowed. It really wasn’t a big deal, was it? Why was this any different to any of the boys she’d dated? Ok, so really the only serious boyfriend she’d had was Tyler, and she hadn’t even introduced him to her parents, and he’d got her kicked out of school, and arrested, and...

_Hey B, what’s up?_

Buffy let out a breath as Faith’s message appeared on her phone. Taking another breath and trying to calm her racing pulse and mind, she set about typing out another message.

_Couldn’t sleep. Thinking about how I’m supposed to tell Mom about us._

She paused.

_We have to tell Willow and Xander too._

Texts sent, Buffy sat in the dark and waited. Barely thirty seconds went by before her phone rang.

“ _Hey, B,_ ” Faith said when Buffy answered the call. “ _You sounded like you’re freaking out. Are... Are you ok_?”

“Yeah,” Buffy answered quickly, trying to ignore the way her voice shook a little. “It’s fine. I’m overreacting.”

There was a muffled noise on Faith’s end of the line, followed by Faith swearing under her breath. Buffy frowned.

“Faith?”

“ _I’m coming over_ ,” Faith said. “ _Shit- Just let me get dressed, ok_?”

“Faith, it’s fine,” Buffy protested, listening as Faith apparently pulled clothes on. “Like I said, I was just overreacting. You don’t need to-”

“ _I’m coming over_ ,” Faith interrupted, and it was clear that Buffy couldn’t change her mind. There was a pause. “ _Unless... B, you know we don’t have to do this, right?_ ”

Faith’s voice was soft, almost vulnerable, and something about it made Buffy’s heart break just a little.

“No! No, I want to!” Buffy insisted loudly, before catching herself and lowering her voice. “I just... This is a lot, you know? It’s all new to me. I had a few boyfriends back in Los Angeles, but no girlfriends. I don’t exactly know how to explain this to Mom, or how she’s going to react.” She paused, frowned. “It’s scary, you know? This... Whatever this is between us, it feels pretty serious to me, and I’m just wigging a little.”

There was a long silence then, and for one heart-stopping moment Buffy feared she’d said too much, that she’d scared Faith away. Maybe Faith didn’t want serious. They hadn’t discussed it, hadn’t discussed anything beyond dating...

“ _I know, B_ ,” Faith’s soft voice broke through Buffy’s thoughts. “ _I’m scared too._ ”

And suddenly, hearing Faith admit that she was just as freaked as Buffy, everything didn’t seem quite so scary.

“Good,” Buffy joked nervously. “Then we’re in the same boat.”

Faith gave a laugh on the other end of the line. “ _Exactly, babe. Look, I’ll be at your window in ten minutes. You wanna stay on the line?_ ”

“Do you mind?” Buffy countered, wrinkling her nose.

“ _No_ ,” came Faith’s honest reply. “ _So, you given any thought as to when you wanna tell the others? You must have been thinking about it if it kept you awake_.”

Buffy shrugged even though she knew Faith couldn’t see her. “Not really. I mean, all I’ve figured out is that we have to tell them. And we should probably do it soon, you know. I mean, not immediately. But if we wait too long they’ll think we’re keeping it from them deliberately, and that we don’t trust them or something.”

Faith let out a small noise of agreement on the other end of the line. “ _I’m not fussed, you know. About when we tell them. But I’d rather it’s not right away, I want a little time just us two before Xander starts glaring at me for stealing you away_.”

“Why would Xander glare at you?” Buffy asked with a small frown. “I mean, I know he kind of had a crush on me when we first met, but I figured he was over it...”

“ _B,_ ” Faith chuckled, “ _you really have no idea how difficult it is to get over you, do you?_ ”

“And you do?” Buffy countered.

“ _Eh,_ ” Faith responded, and Buffy imagined her shrugging, “ _I considered it. I wasn’t sure you even liked girls, and I wasn’t gonna spend my time pining after you. But thankfully I don’t need to get over you._ ” There was a pause. “ _I just need to get on top of_ you.”

Buffy groaned at that, shaking her head as Faith laughed. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”

“ _Fine,_ ” Faith sniggered. “ _But it’s not going to stop me from saying it again._ ”

Rolling her eyes, Buffy tried to steer the conversation back to the topic they were meant to be discussing. “Do you have any idea what you’re going to tell Gwen?”

“ _That we’re dating,_ ” Faith answered seriously. “ _If she’s got a problem with that, it’s not my concern._ ”

Faith said it calmly enough, but something about her tone made Buffy’s skin prickle. 

“What if it is your concern, though?” Buffy asked. “What if she kicks you out, or something?”

“ _It’s 2019, B._ ”

“So? Faith, just because it’s 2019 doesn’t mean Gwen won’t kick you out.”

“ _Gwen may be strict but she’s not an ass. Besides, I haven’t exactly hidden the fact I like girls from her._ ” There was a pause then, before Faith continued. “ _I mean, I haven’t exactly_ admitted _it to her either, but I certainly haven’t lied about it._ ”

Buffy had nothing to say to that.

“ _So I’m guessing your worried about what you’re gonna tell your mom?_ ” On the other end of the line, Faith sighed. “ _Buffy, I’m sure it will be fine. Your mom’s cool. So’s Giles._ ” There was a pause. “ _Why are you nervous about telling your mom but not G-man?_ ”

Buffy felt her cheeks flush a little at that. “Uh, well I might have mentioned to Giles that I like you.”

Faith gave a surprised laugh at that. “ _Really? When?_ ”

“On the way to the Icecapades,” Buffy admitted. “I told him I thought I wanted to date you.”

“ _And what did he say?_ ” Faith prompted.

Buffy wrinkled her nose. “Do you really want to know?”

“ _Hell yeah!_ ”

Buffy sighed and settled back against her pillows. “Fine.”

* * *

_It had taken a little longer than hoped to find a parking space, and by the time they were showing their tickets to get into the Icecapades Buffy thought she might burst from nervousness._

_“We have some time before we have to find our seats,” Giles said, steering her towards some seats in the foyer. “Did you want some ice cream, or would you rather save room for cotton candy?”_

_“I’m not sure I can eat,” Buffy admitted with a grimace as she sat down. “I don’t know what to do, Giles!”_

_As her step-father sat down next to her, Buffy realised she couldn’t stop talking even if she wanted to._

_“I mean, Faith was flirting with me this morning, and Willow said she’s like that with everybody, but it made my tummy feel all funny and I couldn’t concentrate in class, or during break time when we were all hanging out, because I just kept thinking about Faith.”_

_“Ah,” Giles said, nodding sagely._

_“Ah?” Buffy echoed with a frown._

_“Indeed,” Giles replied. He let out a sigh and gave her a sad smile. “I hate to say it, but I think you’re growing up. You’re not that little eleven year old I was so terrified of meeting, and you’re not even that determined fourteen year old we saw off on the first day of high school.” He looked a little wistful then. “I do wish you’d stop growing up.”_

_“Me too, if it feels like this,” Buffy told him glumly. Then she frowned. “Wait, you were terrified of meeting me?”_

_“Oh, completely.” Giles laughed. “I’d heard so much about you from your mother, and I remember being rather quite excited to meet you right up until the moment your mother suggested it during our sixth date. Apparently, you were demanding to meet me.”_

_Buffy smiled a little at that. “I was,” she admitted. “Mom had gone on all these dates with you, and she seemed so happy, and I hadn’t even met you. I remember insisting that I had to check you out to see if you were good enough for her.”_

_“And am I?” Giles asked._

_Buffy grinned. “Definitely.”_

_Giles grinned back, but after a few moments he grew serious. “I wish I could tell you exactly what to do, how to deal with this situation, but the truth is Buffy that there’s no manual. I was probably just as nervous about asking your mother out as you are about asking Faith.”_

_Buffy swallowed. “So you think I should ask Faith out? On a date?”_

_“If you like. I can’t tell you what the right answer is, I’m afraid. And I can’t promise that you’ll get the answer you want.” At Buffy’s dejected look, he pressed on. “But if you don’t ask Faith out, you won’t know.”_

_“And if it goes wrong?” Buffy questioned._

_Giles smiled, and reached out to squeeze her hand. “Then I’ll run to the shop and buy as much ice cream as you need, and we can watch whatever awful teenage film you want to watch.”_

_“I’ll hold you to that, you know,” she told him seriously._

_Giles got to his feet then, as people were starting to head for their seats. “I daresay you will.”_

* * *

“ _Ok, so Giles definitely knows about us_ ,” Faith said when Buffy finished explaining the conversation she and Giles had had.

“Huh?” Buffy asked. “Why do you say that? He might not.”

“ _B, he kept glancing over at us all night. I thought it was weird, but I’m guessing he figured out that we’re dating now._ ”

“Oh,” Buffy said, and she felt a weight lift from her shoulders slightly. “Maybe that means Mom won’t be so bad. I mean, if Giles already knows...”

“ _Yeah,_ ” Faith agreed. “ _Look, I’m gonna have to hang up, I’m about to climb up to your window._ ”

The line went dead and Buffy climbed out of bed to cross to the window. Sure enough, Faith was just as hauling herself up onto the roof as Buffy slid the window open.

“You really didn’t have to come, you know,” Buffy said as she stepped back to let Faith clamber through the open window.

“I wanted to,” Faith countered as she hopped into Buffy’s room. “Besides, it means I get to do this.”

She gently tugged Buffy closer, one hand on her waist and the other on her cheek, and drew the blonde in for a kiss. When they parted, Faith was grinning and Buffy was blushing.

“Well, when you put it that way...” Buffy joked quietly.

Faith smirked, and brushed a stray strand of hair behind Buffy’s hair. “You ok now? You’re not still freaking out?”

Buffy shook her head. “I don’t think so. I mean, I’m still a little nervous about talking to Mom, but if you’re right and Giles knows maybe it will make it easier.”

“Maybe she’s already noticed,” Faith suggested as Buffy slid the window shut again.

Window closed, Buffy drew Faith over to the bed. Faith pulled her shoes off and flopped onto the mattress. 

“Maybe,” Buffy said, not sounding convinced. “It’s just a little weird. I never really stopped to think about whether I like girls. I was always too busy going after the boys.”

“Let me guess,” Faith smirked, “you used to date footballers?”

Buffy flushed again and sat down on the bed. “I guess.”

“You want me to steal a football jersey from the school?” Faith asked with a waggle of her eyebrows. “I bet I could.”

Buffy wrinkled her nose. “No. If you’re stealing them from school they probably haven’t been washed for ages.”

Faith considered that for a moment, before wrinkling her nose too. “Good point.” She pushed herself into a sitting position. “You feeling better now?”

Buffy smiled. “Yeah. Thanks.”

Faith smiled back. “No problem, babe. It’s what I’m here for.” She looked around then, brow furrowing. “So, what are we doing about the sleeping arrangements? Because I’m not really feeling the whole ‘sneak back to mine again’ thing.” To emphasise her point she let out a large yawn.

“Uh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Buffy admitted, embarrassed. 

“Hey, no sweat,” Faith said, holding her hands up. “I’m happy to take the floor.” 

She started moving off the bed, but Buffy shook her head quickly.

“It’s fine. We can share the bed. Just... Maybe we should try and stick to our own sides?” Once again, Buffy flushed. “I’ve... I’ve never exactly shared a bed with someone before. Someone I’m dating, I mean. Mom and Giles kind of had a ‘no boys in the bedroom’ rule back in L.A.”

There was a cheeky look in Faith’s eye. “Well, we’re still not breaking that rule.” She looked around pointedly. “I’m not seeing any boys here, B. Not unless you’re hiding one somewhere.”

Shaking her head, the blonde got to her feet. “You know what I mean, Faith.”

Watching Buffy cross to the closet, Faith nodded. “Yeah, I do. And it’s no problem. I, uh, I’ve not exactly done this before either. You know what Gwen’s like.”

The blonde said nothing, and instead rifled through her closet for a few moments. Then she pulled out a hanger and tossed the item hanging on it to Faith.

“What’s this for?”

“To sleep in,” Buffy told her as she put the hanger back in the closet. “You can’t sleep in your clothes, Faith.”

Faith wrinkled her nose at the shirt Buffy had tossed to her. “But I can’t wear _this_ , B!”

“I don’t think I have anything else. All my stuff will be too small for you.”

“But I can’t wear a _Rams_ shirt!”

At that, Buffy arched an eyebrow. “And what’s wrong with the Rams?”

Faith’s eyes were wide. “They’re the Rams, B. I’m a Patriots girl and you know it!”

But Buffy simply shook her head and crossed back to the bed. “Nobody’s going to see you, Faith.”

As Buffy settled herself back in bed, Faith grumbled to herself and began to undress. While the younger girl got changed, Buffy made a point of staring straight up at the ceiling. When she’d got the football jersey out for Faith to wear, it hadn’t occurred to her that Faith would get changed in front of her. Of course it made more sense than risking a dash across the hall to the bathroom, as it meant there was less chance her parents would wake up. But still, she couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed that she hadn’t thought about the whole ‘getting changed’ situation.

“Geez, B, this shirt must drown you.”

Risking a glance, Buffy saw that the other girl was dressed. The jersey fell to the tops of Faith’s thighs, and while it wasn’t loose it also wasn’t tight. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too uncomfortable for Faith to sleep in.

“My dad sent it for me,” Buffy admitted as Faith drew back the covers and climbed into bed. “It was a Christmas present. I’m guessing he hasn’t seen me for so long he’s forgotten how small I am.”

Her tone was clearly aiming for humour, but it missed spectacularly.

“I know I’ve told you before, but your dad sucks.”

“Yeah,” Buffy agreed quietly. “Faith?”

Faith made a small noise in the dark then.

“Thanks for coming over tonight.”

“No problem, B.” Faith pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. “Go to sleep.”

* * *

When they awoke hours later, it was to the sound of the phone ringing downstairs.

“Wha’ time is it?” Faith grumbled, face half-smushed into a pillow.

Reluctantly, Buffy pulled one arm from the warm cocoon of the covers to grab at her phone. “A little past half nine,” she said with a yawn.

“Ugh,” came Faith’s reply.

They were just settling back down to sleep when hurried footsteps sounded on the stairs, and the sound of Giles calling Buffy’s name filled the air. Too tired to fully process what was going on, Faith and Buffy had barely pushed themselves into a sitting position before the door opened.

“Buffy, Gwen’s on the phone-” Giles trailed off abruptly as he took note of the two girls in the bed, of their mussed hair and Faith’s borrowed pyjamas. Still blinking, he lifted the phone to his ear. “Gwen? Yes, it seems Faith is here. We’ll give her some breakfast and send her home.” Ending the call, Giles surveyed the girls again for a moment. “The pair of you should probably get dressed,” he told them. “And maybe give some thought to what you’re going to tell Joyce and Gwen?”

With a slightly amused smile, he left the room then, closing the door behind him.

“Well,” Faith said, “if he didn’t know before, he does now.”

* * *

Joyce was more than a little confused when Faith followed Buffy down for breakfast. She gave Giles a look, and he gave her one back, and Faith watched the whole thing in amusement. Apparently he hadn’t bothered to inform Joyce of the extra person for Sunday breakfast. Buffy reached out to grasp Faith’s hand in hers, and squeezed it tight. Faith squeezed back.

“Mom,” Buffy said suddenly, “we need to talk.”

“Sounds serious,” Joyce joked, taking a sip of coffee.

When Buffy didn’t say anything, Joyce frowned, and looked to Giles. He simply raised an eyebrow at her, and Joyce returned her attention to her daughter.

“Honey, what is it? What’s wrong?”

Faith squeezed Buffy’s hand again. _I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere._

“Uh, I- I don’t...” Buffy stuttered, brow furrowing in confusion. This time it was Buffy who looked to Giles, and he gave her an encouraging smile in return. Buffy took a breath. “Me and Faith are dating.”

Joyce blinked, and surveyed the two teenagers in front of her. “Ok,” she said after a few moments. “And when did this happen?”

“Yesterday,” Buffy admitted. 

Joyce nodded slowly. “And is that why Faith spent the night?”

Buffy winced. “Kind of?” she said. “But not exactly. I mean, she _did_ go home, Mom.”

“And then she snuck back here,” Joyce stated, and she sounded part annoyed and part amused.

The nervous look on Buffy’s face prompted Faith to speak up quickly. “I only came back because Buffy text me. She was totally freaking out about how we were going to tell everyone we’re dating, so I phoned her up and she sounded really freaked, so I came over.”

The annoyance in Joyce’s eyes faded then, and she glanced to Giles before speaking again. “Honey, you should have come and spoken to us.” She stood up from the island then, and held her arms out.

Buffy let go of Faith’s hand and eagerly fell into her mother’s comforting embrace. After a few moments, she pulled away, and Joyce studied the two teens carefully.

“You’re both happy, yes?” she asked.

“Hell yeah,” Faith said as Buffy nodded eagerly.

Joyce smiled. “Then that’s all I can ask.” She moved to the fridge. “What do the pair of you want for breakfast?”

* * *

Forty minutes later, Buffy and Faith left the house to walk Faith home. Joyce watched them go and the moment they were out of sight, she turned to her husband.

“You knew,” she said, and her tone was more amused than annoyed.

“I had an idea,” he conceded with a smile.

“Since when?” Joyce countered.

“Well, if me finding Faith in Buffy’s bed when I took the phone up wasn’t enough of a clue, I don’t know what is.” He smirked. “But in all seriousness, Buffy talked to me about asking Faith out when we were at the Icecapades the night before last.”

Joyce looked torn at that. “She did?”

Giles hummed in agreement. “She did.” He studied his wife carefully. “I’m sorry she didn’t talk to you about it, my dear.”

Joyce waved him off, but she still looked a little sad. Leaving the hallway and heading into the sitting room, she sank down on the sofa. 

“She’s not a little girl anymore, is she?”

“No,” Giles agreed quietly, sitting beside her. “She’s not. I did tell her I wanted her to stop growing up, but I’m not sure there’s much we can do about it.” 

A sad smile was on Joyce’s face then. “I’m glad she talked to you, Rupert. God knows Hank’s been a useless father these last few years. And clearly there are things Buffy doesn’t feel like she can talk to me about...”

“That’s not true,” Giles protested gently.

His wife fixed him with a look at that. “Rupert, Buffy was awake half the night worrying about how to tell me she was dating Faith. She was worried about how I’d react.”

“This relationship with Faith has taken Buffy by surprise just as much as anyone,” Giles pointed out calmly. “How about when she gets home, we sit down and have a talk with her? I think Buffy was just nervous overall, dear, not scared about you in particular. She’s never dated a girl before, and her last relationship didn’t exactly go down too well with us. It’s a lot for her to process.”

Joyce let out a sigh then, and nodded slowly.

“When she gets back,” she agreed. “We’ll talk.”

* * *

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Buffy asked as they came to a stop outside Faith’s house.

“Nah, I’m good.” Faith dismissed her girlfriend’s concerns with a shrug. “If it all goes to hell, I’ll come back to yours.”

Buffy didn’t look too reassured about that, and Faith nudged her down the sidewalk.

“It’s just... You were there for me when I told Mom about us,” Buffy said. “It makes me nervous that I won’t be there for you.”

Faith shook her head. “It’s fine. It’s not a big deal, B. Look, I’ll text you as soon as Gwen and I are done talking, yeah? Now get home. I’m cool.”

With one final reluctant look, Buffy trudged off down the street. Faith sniffed and knocked on the door. She’d have let herself in, but in her haste to get to Buffy the night before she’d forgotten her keys.

When the door swung open, she was greeted by a rather unimpressed Gwen Post.

“Good sleepover?” Gwen asked, sounding irritated.

“Oh, the best,” Faith drawled as she stepped inside. “We plaited each other’s hair, and we painted each other’s nails, and we told spooky stories. It was wild.”

Gwen shut the door hard, and fixed Faith with a look. “Do I need to remind you that you can’t go sneaking around town at all hours? I woke up and you were gone, Faith. Anything could have happened to you.”

Faith sighed. “I’m sorry, ok. And I’ll explain everything. But there’s something I need to tell you first.”

Gwen folded her arms and arched an eyebrow.

“You, uh, might want to sit down first,” Faith suggested, gesturing towards the sitting room.

Gwen didn’t move. Faith rolled her eyes.

“Or the foyer’s fine,” she muttered before raising her voice. “Ok, so me and Buffy are dating now. We kissed last night at her birthday party, and we’ve decided we want to try dating, and Buffy text super early in the morning freaking out about how we’re meant to tell everyone. She’s only ever had boyfriends, and her last boyfriend got her kicked out of school, and she was super worried that Joyce and Giles would freak. I phoned her up and she sounded really panicky, and I was scared she was having a panic attack or something, so I went over to check on her. I kept her talking on the phone while I walked over, and we figured some stuff out about, like, telling Willow and Xander, but when I got there she was still super worried about her mom. So we talked for a bit, and by that point it was late, and I ended up crashing at her place.”

There was a heavy silence as Gwen just stared at her for several long moments.

“Do Rupert and Joyce know about you and Buffy?”

“Yeah,” Faith nodded. “Buffy told them at breakfast. Giles already kind of knew, though, because Buffy talked to him about it apparently.”

Gwen nodded slowly. “Alright. But I want to set some ground rules. I don’t want you sleeping over at Buffy’s or Buffy sleeping here on a school night. And if you are going to be staying at Buffy’s I expect at least a phone call so I know where you are. Also, I don’t want this relationship of yours to affect your school work. I know you and Buffy often do homework in the library with Xander and Willow, and I want you to actually _do_ your homework. Am I clear?”

“Uh, yeah,” Faith said. She wasn’t sure what reaction she’d been expecting from Gwen, but it hadn’t been that. Ok, so the ground rules kind of sucked but they weren’t the end of the world. But Gwen’s acceptance of her and Buffy made Faith somehow feel so much lighter. Clearly she’d been more worried than she’d thought. “I’m, uh, gonna go shower.”

And as she hurried up the stairs, Faith pulled out her phone to text Buffy the good news.

* * *

Buffy was nearly home when she received the text from Faith. Smiling as she saw that Gwen was apparently fine with the news, the last block home seemed to pass quickly. But as she let herself in to the house, she was greeted by her mother wearing an awkward smile that made Buffy pause.

“Hi, honey. Rupert and I were hoping to have a talk with you.”

Buffy was ushered through to the sitting room before she could really protest.

“W- What’s this about?” Buffy asked, as she saw Giles sitting on the sofa with what he obviously thought was a reassuring smile on his face.

“We just wanted to talk,” Joyce said, stepping round Buffy to sit on the sofa.

With a small frown, Buffy reluctantly perched on the arm of the armchair. “Is this about me and Faith?” she asked, a ball growing in the pit of her stomach. “Because you said you were alright with it-”

“We just wanted to talk to you,” Giles cut in gently. “Your mother and I want to be sure that you understand you don’t have to hide anything from us.” He glanced at Joyce before continuing. “We were concerned. Faith said that you’d, ah, _freaked_ about telling everyone the pair of you were dating.”

Joyce nodded, looking rather nervous and pinch-faced. “Were you scared of telling me, sweetheart? Because you really didn’t have to be.” She sighed and shook her head. “I know the past year has been difficult, but I’ve never stopped loving you, Buffy. And I really do mean it when I say you can talk to me about anything.”

Buffy frowned. “Ok,” she said after a moment, still processing what her parents were saying. “But I guess I was more nervous about everyone’s reactions, rather than any _specific_ person’s. Faith’s told Gwen now, and she seems fine with it, but we’ve still got to figure out how to tell Xan and Will. I just...” She trailed off, met her mom’s gaze with wide, worried eyes. “This feels so much bigger than it usually does, you know? Usually it’s just ‘this is my new boyfriend’ and that’s that. But everyone’s always sort of expected me to have boyfriends, so it was never really a surprise.” 

Buffy was vaguely aware her parents were watching her with mildly concerned looks, was vaguely aware that she was starting to panic and she was starting to speak faster and faster. But it was like her brain had disengaged from her mouth; she wasn’t able to stop, even if she wanted to.

“A girlfriend, though, a girlfriend _isn’t_ so expected for me, and it doesn’t just mean telling everyone I have a new girlfriend, it also means coming out to them. And I don’t even know what I’m coming out as! I mean, I still like boys, but I also like Faith, and I think I like other girls too but I don’t _know_!”

Suddenly there were arms around her, and Buffy realised that she’d closed her eyes. Opening them slowly, she was surprised to see her mother still sat on the sofa. Her eyes were damp and her expression sad, and Buffy frowned. Looking up, she saw the arms around her belonged instead to Giles. Still a little confused, she settled into her step-father’s embrace.

“It’s alright to not know, you know,” Giles said gently, and even though she couldn’t quite see his face Buffy could hear the soft smile in his voice. “And you don’t have to explain your decisions to date Faith to anyone. Understand? You don’t owe anyone an explanation, Buffy. Not if you don’t want to give them one.”

But that didn’t make sense. Buffy’s brow furrowed further, and she was about to question him when Joyce spoke up.

“Rupert’s right, honey,” she said, and a small smile was on her lips even though her eyes were still a little damp. “You don’t have to justify yours and Faith’s relationship to anybody. Not even us.” Joyce stood then, and Giles pulled away to let his wife slip in beside Buffy. “I’ll admit, I was a little worried earlier. I thought you’d been scared of _my_ reaction to you and Faith being together. I’m glad you’d spoken to Rupert about it, but I couldn’t help but be a little concerned that you’d avoided me for a reason.”

Buffy shrugged then, a little embarrassed. “I didn’t know what to say,” she admitted quietly. “It just seemed easier to tell Giles, you know? I guess...” She paused, and glanced at Giles who had settled himself back on the sofa. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Giles, but I kind of felt like it wasn’t as big a deal if you freaked out. If I’d talked to Mom, and she’d freaked about the idea of me wanting to date a girl, it would have been huge. And it would have been huge if you’d freaked too, but in a different way...” Buffy shook her head, frustrated. “I don’t know how to explain it, but-”

“I’m your step-father, Buffy,” Giles interrupted softly, and Buffy was relieved to see that he didn’t look angry or upset. “If I’d disapproved of you asking Faith out, you could dismiss me as being only a step-parent. The rejection would have been a little easier to handle. But if your mother had had an issue, well...” He gave a soft smile. “I understand, Buffy. I do.”

“I’ve still got to tell Willow and Xander though,” Buffy sighed, brow furrowing again. “I don’t really know what to say.”

“Only tell them what you want to tell them, sweetheart,” Joyce said calmly. “And only tell them what they need to know. You and Faith are dating. They don’t need to know anything more unless you want to tell them.”

Buffy thought on that for a moment, before a small smile formed on her lips. “Thanks Mom.”

* * *

“You sure about this, B?” Faith asked as they approached the school the next morning. 

“No,” Buffy admitted, giving her girlfriend a look. “Are you? I know you said you didn’t want to tell them right away, and we _could_ just wait-”

“It’s fine,” Faith interrupted. “Seriously, B. I’m five by five. It’s just... Weird, you know? I actually care about what they think.” 

Buffy gave a sympathetic smile. “That’s the downside to having friends,” she agreed. “We really _don’t_ have to do it today if you’re not sure.” 

“Not sure about what?”

Both girls jumped at the sound of Xander’s voice, and they spun around to see Willow and Xander approaching them with looks of confusion.

“Uh, nothing,” Buffy lied, wide-eyed.

Willow frowned, her eyes landing instead on Buffy’s and Faith’s still-joined hands. “Why are you two holding hands?”

Suddenly faced with the actual task of telling her friends about the change in her dating life, Buffy felt herself completely freeze. Beside her, Faith had stiffened too, although perhaps not quite so much.

“Can’t a girl hold her friend’s hand without the twenty questions?” Faith asked then, clearly trying for nonchalance.

“I suppose,” Willow agreed, eyes on Buffy and a knowing glint in her eyes. “But it’s you two we’re talking about.”

Buffy’s brow furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Xander shrugged, a small grin on his face. “Just that you two don’t usually go around holding hands,” he said, as the four of them started walking towards the school. “So, something you’d like to share with the class?”

Faith and Buffy shared a look, each seeking reassurance from the other. 

“We’re dating,” Faith said after a moment. “Not that we have to explain that to you.”

But Willow and Xander just smiled at that, and Willow held out her hand.

“Pay up, Harris,” she said with a laugh. “I _told_ you something was going on.”

As Xander grumbled and handed over a crumpled $10 bill, Buffy and Faith exchanged amused looks.

“You were _betting_ on us?” Buffy couldn’t help but ask, not entirely sure what to make of that.

“Oh, sure,” Willow nodded as she tucked her winnings away in her bag. “I mean, there was all that stuff on Friday where you thought Faith was flirting with you and you got all red and distracted. And then at your birthday party on Saturday you two disappeared and then came back in all hand-hold-y and loved up.”

“And,” Xander added as they ascended the steps into the school building, “that’s not including all the flirty stuff that’s been going on since the pair of you met.”

“Xander,” Buffy protested half-heartedly, “Faith and I have _not_ been flirting since we met.”

But as Willow and Xander gave Buffy a pointed look, Faith snorted. 

“Speak for yourself, B. I was starting to run out of pick-up lines.”

Shaking her head at her girlfriend, Buffy instead turned her attention to her friends as they made their way towards their lockers. “So you’re ok with this?” she asked, a little nervous. “With me and Faith dating?”

“Well yeah,” Xander shrugged. “Why wouldn’t we be? As it much as it pains me to know you’re off the market, Buffster, you two are a good match. I’ll simply have to soldier on.”

“How brave,” Buffy told him wryly.

They’d reached their lockers then, and the quartet busied themselves with sorting out what they needed for their first class.

“I think it’s sweet,” Willow piped up as she piled books into her locker, “you and Faith together. And it’s not like we didn’t see it coming.”

“Ok, ok, we get the idea; we weren’t being subtle.” There was humour in Buffy’s voice, and a smile on her lips as she spoke, and Faith caught that and smiled back.

As the bell rang for the start of first period, and Buffy, Xander, and Willow started heading for their first class of the day. But as Buffy moved away from her locker, Faith caught her by the arm, pulling her closer.

“Faith,” Buffy protested mildly, “we have to get to class.”

“I know,” Faith assured her, a grin on her lips. “I just wanted to say goodbye.”

Faith’s gaze was on Buffy’s lips, and Buffy’s gaze was on Faith’s lips, and they leaned towards each other instinctively. Everyone else seemed to fade away; the hustle and bustle of other students, Willow and Xander giggling as they watched them. The kiss was soft and still a little uncertain, but when the two girls parted, they wore matching grins.

“I’ll see you at break,” Buffy said softly.

“Yeah,” Faith agreed. “Break.”

And as Buffy followed Willow and Xander towards their classroom, she couldn’t resist one final glance back at her girlfriend’s retreating form. She couldn’t help but grin when she saw Faith had had the same idea. 

Break really couldn’t come too soon.


End file.
